National Heritage: Camel Patrol Becomes The Special Feature Of Abu Dhabi Police

Camels will now be used as part of its special patrols

Abu Dhabi: It appears Abu Dhabi Police are returning to centuries old Arab norms in Abdu Dhabi. Akin to the traditional Bedouin way of travel, the department has integrated camels in its special patrols unit in the criminal security section.

“Police have been trained in accordance with the standard of best practices to carry out their civic duty to prevent crime and communicate with the public,” said Maj Gen Al Romaithi.

“We continue to strive in making Abu Dhabi safe and continue to employ all possible means to raise the level of security in the emirate,” he said.

The one-humped camels in the Arabian desert are called dromedary camels, and are referred to as the ‘ships of the desert’. Camels played an important role in Emirati heritage as they helped Bedouins transport goods, were often the main source of meat, milk and even wool.

Camels also served as a status symbol as the amount of wealth was reflected in the number of camels a person owned. They were also used as a form of currency, and could also be very profitable if they won camel races or beauty contests.